A proposed concept for a bulb-out and “resting area” at Irving Street and 22nd Avenue. Image: DPW

At an open house community meeting last week, the opposition to the proposal seen at the previous meeting in August seemed to have largely dissipated, based on reports from some city staffers and merchant association members. Any remaining concern apparently comes from owners of businesses that front the small chunk of parking spaces that would be replaced with the bulb-outs, though they might actually stand to gain the most as their part of the street becomes a more attractive place to be.

“It’s going to bring tourists, people who have never been around Irving Street,” said Awadalla Awadalla, owner of Irving Pizza, located just off 19th Avenue. “It’s more business for us, more jobs.”

The plan for Irving between 19th and 27th Avenues presented at the open house by the SFMTA and Department of Public Works was essentially unchanged from the proposal shown at the previous meeting. That seems to indicate that complaints about losing a small slice of the 400-some parking spaces on or adjacent to Irving didn’t carry much sway.

As we’ve reported, a small, unscientific poll of 30 respondents on Irving, gathered by DPW from door-to-door visits and an earlier public meeting, found that most people didn’t drive to get there — a result similar to those of more comprehensive surveys done in several other SF neighborhoods.

In addition to the sidewalk extensions, the plan will include more visible, patterned crosswalk markings, along with new trees and a re-pave of the street’s notoriously dirty sidewalks.

“If you come in the afternoon, around 22nd and Irving, there’s no room to walk around. You just want to get out as fast as possible,” Awadalla said of the only intersection in the proposed plan to get bulb-outs on all four corners, which planners and merchants have deemed the focal point of the commercial stretch. “If you take out a couple spots, and make the sidewalk bigger, people will feel better. They can walk around, get a drink, sit down, and chat. It’s going to be more ‘homey.'”

This post is made possible by a grant from GJEL Accident Attorneys, a Bay Area law firm committed to representing pedestrians and cyclists. The content is Streetsblog's own, and GJEL neither endorses nor exercises any editorial control.

But there was parking there, and always should be! We need all the parking, everywhere, all of the time.

sebra leaves

Yeah. The tourists will be really excited about hanging out in the fog sipping coffee on the sidewalk on Irving Street. Great views of shops in the fog as a backdrop for their group photos. Hopefully they will not get hit by a bus or bike swooping out of the fog as they cross the street.

Terra C

Aaron, any insights on what outreach/information/conversations changed the merchants’ minds?